Testing Boundaries
by xfirefly9x
Summary: Mac/Stella. Truth is not something Stella has put much faith into in the past.
1. Chapter 1

_**Testing Boundaries**_

Truth is a difficult thing to share with someone when the outcome leans toward self-humiliation. It can be painful to the point that you don't want to continue on living. It can manifest itself to physically hurt you. It can break a man.

Usually it is avoidable, however, on occasion it is most necessary.

Mac pastes a blank expression on his face and takes the final steps into the scene of one of his worst nightmares. The lab is empty but for himself and Stella. It's quiet. Everything looks too clean, too smooth, too white. He clears his throat to get her attention before he thinks better of it and backs out.

Stella glances up from the slide she'd just put together and a smile flashes over her lips. "Mac," she greets him. "Hey."

"Hey," he replies. He stares at her.

"Was there something you're after?"

"Yeah, actually. There is," he confirms. He shoves his hands deep into the pockets of his lab coat and stands dumbly in front of her.

She quirks an eyebrow when he doesn't say anything else. "Are you going to fill me in or do you expect me to read your mind?"

"I'd rather you read my mind," he mutters. "It'd make this easier."

Her expression dampens. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"I'm fine."

She shakes her head. Cascades of wavy hair bounce around her shoulders. "Mac, talk to me. Tell me what's on your mind."

"I don't want this to change our friendship."

"Then we won't let it," she returns easily.

Mac's teeth find his bottom lip and he gnaws gently at it. "I care about you, Stel. I can't lose you."

A quiet smile reaches her face. "I know. I care about you, too, Mac. It's okay."

"That's just it, Stella. It's not okay. The way I feel about you... it's changed. It's, uh, grown."

She stares blankly at him. "Oh?"

Sighing loudly he ducks his head. He can feel the heat rise up in his cheeks and when he touches his hand to his neck it burns him. "Do you..."

"Do I what?"

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime?"

"Sure, Mac. Dinner sounds great. But what's that got to do with -"

"As my date," he cuts her off.

"Oh!"

"Sorry," he says quickly. "I shouldn't have said anything."

She shakes her head. "No, don't apologise. I'm glad you told me. I just... wow, Mac. I don't know what to say!"

"Yes would be a nice start," he hints. His lip curls up and he wonders fleetingly why his heart is racing as fast as it is.

There's a silence that feels like it goes on for minutes when really it's just been seconds. Stella fidgets with the hem of her shirt – a blue blouse today with a V-line neck – and Mac looks at anything and everything that isn't her. He can't look her in the eyes knowing that she's very likely about to reject him and give him the 'we're just good friends and nothing more' speech.

He'll curse himself if his words have destroyed their relationship.

Stella finally looks at him and he forces himself to look back. She frowns slightly before her expression transforms into a carefully blank one.

"Stel, please say something. You're killing me here," he jokes.

"Sorry," she nods at him. "And yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'll go on a date with you, Mac."

He had never thought that telling her the truth would actually deepen and expand their relationship, but there it was. Yes. One simple word, one simple answer to his proposition and he felt like his was floating. Mac beams at her and blushes some more and then waves towards the door. "I should finish that paperwork from earlier. Talk to you more about this later?"

"Sure," Stella grins. "I can't wait."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks for all the shiny reviews on this so far. As requested, I've written more. ;)  
_

Truth is not something Stella has put much faith into in the past. Her job is based on murder and blackmail and torture and lies. Truth is rarely a factor. Humankind, in her experience, is far from being a truthful species at the best of times and often, what has actually happened is better off being left hidden. Most of the time it is her job to uncover such deceit and as a result that is how she views the world for the most part: in varying shades of lies and half-truths.

Nevertheless, for the following hours after Mac has asked her out, she is glad that there is such a thing as truth and that Mac has finally uttered the words she'd been secretly longing to hear for months now. Saying that she has been waiting for years would be a bit of a long stretch. She hasn't been waiting for him all that time. She has dated. She has seen other guys. She has thought of Mac as a friend and nothing more. Months on the other hand makes a good fit.

She has in recent time discovered that her feelings for Mac have grown. When two people work side by side for as long as they have it is only natural for a connection to form. Their relationship is no different and they are bound by their knowledge of one another. The friendship they have shared knows no bounds. Any of the fights they've faced, they have come out of, stronger and closer than ever before.

They have seen through times that few others can dream of: her AIDs scare, the fire at her apartment, not to mention the life or death situations they'd been on while on the job. They have faced robbers and terrorists and serial killers. In the end, all that has ever mattered is that they come out in one piece, ready to fight through another day alongside the other. They have come to mean more to each other than words can say.

That Mac has been feeling the same way about her as she has him is overwhelming. It scares her and exhilarates her and she wants nothing more than to melt into his arms and stay there forever. Screw work. Screw the world. If she can have that moment with Mac she will feel complete.

She smiles softly to herself and continues to work on piecing together the evidence for the Yateman's case. Twenty three year old female. Beaten and left for dead in Central Park. No sign of rape. Belongings intact, including her purse and an expensive looking watch. At this point it looks like a random gang related act of violence.

She narrows her eyes, though the happiness of having Mac ask her out stays firmly in the back of her mind. Why people do such things to one another she cannot fathom. Whatever the circumstances, surely there is another way to deal with any problems that may arise. Why rape? Why murder? Why randomly kill someone who you don't even know, someone who is innocent?

She hisses under her breath. There truly is no justice in this world.

The door creaks open and she glances up. Mac.

"How's it going?" he asks. The corner of his mouth twitches up into a smile that she finds adorable.

She lifts a shoulder. "Could be better. Looks like our victim here was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

He nods his head but doesn't say anything.

"You know, I really don't understand people sometimes," she adds.

"I really don't understand people sometimes, either," he replies. His eyes express what little his words and the tone of his voice do not. He cares for her, so deeply; he hates to see her in pain and unhappy.

She shivers under his gaze. "Anyway. What are you doing here? Not that it's not great to see you."

Mac smirks. "Have you looked at the clock lately?"

She flicks her eyes to her watch. Time to go.

"Are you ready for our date?"

"Give me a minute and I'll be right with you." The heat rises in her cheeks as a smile that she cannot control makes it's way onto her face.

_TBC_


End file.
